The gentle Niger Ripsaw Catfish or Plated Catfish is the largest member of the Dorididae family of catfish. They have a row of large armored scales, with thorn like projections, running down both sides. These thorny scutes may be used as a defense mechanism. Sometimes literature refers to the doradids as “Talking Catfish” due to the fact that they can be heard to make audible noises, almost as if they are speaking to one another. An omnivorous detrivore, they will consume anything edible they find as they sift through the substrate. The niger takes a long time to reach sexual maturity, and being slow to reproduce has placed them as code red on the endangered species list.
Range
They are found throughout many of the major river systems of northern South America
Habitat
Muddy areas of slower moving water or lakes
Diet
A large proportion of the diet is composed of benthic crustaceans and the larval forms of various insects
